Separating mechanism.



F. H. MASON & J. ALLEN.

SEPARATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6. 1914.

1,175,789. Patented Mar. 14, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

THE COLUMBIA PLArgOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

F. H. MASON & J. ALLEN.

SEPARATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man NOV. 6, 1914.

Patented Mar. 1 1, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

ll iinessrs THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAT'H 001, WASHINGTON, n. c.

@FFTQE SEPARATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 1d, 1918.

Application filed. November 6, 1914. Serial No. 870,698.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRED H. MAsoN and JAMns ALLEN, citizens of the United States, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separating Mechanism; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to separating mechanisms and more especially to mechanisms adapted to separate coal from slate, bone or other extraneous matter.

As set forth in Patents Nos. 1,021,690, of March 26th, 1912 and 1,080,467 of Dec. 2nd, 1913, the object is to provide improved mechanism to attach to the usual. and ordinary shaking screen with improved means for permitting the slate, bone and other thin or fiat substance to pass through between restricted openings but preventing the passage of the coal because of its different formation.

In the present invention the swinging and oscillated pipe employed in the two aforesaid patents is eliminated and a flexible or yielding member such as a rope, cable, chain or the like has been substituted therefor.

The object of the invention is, therefore, the employment of a separating mechanism comprising stepped plates spaced apart with the intervals between the plates partly filled with a flexible or yielding member which is oscillated or vibrated by the reciprocation of the shaking screen to which the entire apparatus is connected.

To this end the invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a view in perspective of the separating mechanism showing the resilient or yielding members in the form of a chain. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the yielding members as rope, wire cable, or the like. Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view showing the manner of supporting the cable between the plates and exerting tension thereon. Fig. 4c is a detail perspective view of one of the positioning and tensicning blocks. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the screw-threaded bushing. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the sleeve and means for engaging and retaining the cable. Fig. 7 is a perspective View of the sleeve with means for engaging and maintaining the chain.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The improved separating mechanism which forms the subject-matter of this application is adapted to be attached to the lower or discharge end of the ordinary shaking screen 10, commonly employed in coal cleaning and separating. The separating mechanism itself comprises side members 11 having bottom plates 12 secured thereto in any approved manner as by running an angle bar 13 along one edge and with brackets 14: under the ends of such plates. The exact manner of connecting the plates 12 with the side members 11 is wholly immaterial to the present invention. In this invention the plates 12 are set at an inclination to the horizontal as shown more particularly at Fig. 2 with the discharge ends of the plates the higher with the rear end of each plate spaced below the forward end of the plate nearer to the shaking screen. The tendency of the coal or other material being separated, resting upon the plate 12 is, therefore, to move toward the space or interval between the edges of the plates. This space or interval between the edges of the plates is divided by a flexible member extending longitudinally of and in parallelism with the plates and shown in Figs. 1 and 7 as a chain 15 and in Figs. 2 and 3 as a rope or cable 16. These flexible members extend through slots 1'? in the side members 11 and through blocks 18 disposed upon the exterior of such side members 11. The blocks 18 are provided with hooked extremities 19 at the upper ends which hook over the upper or top edges of the side members 11 and are provided with set screws 20 by which the blocks 18 may be raised or lowered relative to the side members. Movement of the block is permitted by means of bolts 21 which extend through slot in the side member 11. Adjacent their lower ends the blockslS also carry threaded bushings 23 with sleeves 2% upon the exterior of the bushings, and the sleeves have set screw 25 to engage the cable 16 while similar sleeves 26 have pins 27 to engage the chain as shown in Figs. 1 and 7. In either case the sleeves 2 1 or 26 bear against the external end of the bushings 23 and by rotating such bushings, the sleeves and the ends of the flexible member are adjusted and tension is exerted upon the flexible member, being the cable 16 or the chain 15. In either case, whether the chain or the cable is employed; the flexible member serves to divide the interval between the edges of the plates leaving upon opposite sides of such flexible member smaller intervals through which thin objects, such as slate, bone, or the like may be discharged. As the screen and separating mechanism connected therewith continuously reciprocates the tendency of such reciprocation is to throw the coal or other material upwardly and over the higher edge of the plate but the reverse reciprocation brings the coal or material back against the flexible members which oscillate or vibrate under the impact of the material, thus causing a local disturbance or agitation of the material which serves to induce the passage of the thin material between the spaces on opposite sides of the flexible member more particularly under the flexible member between that and the underlying plate.

l/Ve claim:

1. In a separating mechanism, side members; plates extending between the side members and having their adjacent edges spaced the spaced edges of the plates and supported in position by said side members, said interposed members being capable of vibrating when the structure is reciprocated.

3. In a separating mechanism, side members; plates interposed between the members and having one edge of one plate overlying and spaced from the edge of the next plate in series; flexible members extending longitudinally of and interposed between the edges of the plates; means to exert tension upon the flexible members; and means to adjust the flexible members vertically relative to the edges of the plates. 4. In a separating mechanism, side members; a plurality of plates extending between the side members and having the forward edge of one plate overlying and spaced from the rearward edge of the next plate in series; yielding members extending longitudinally between the plates and interposed between the spaced edges; and means to adjust the yielding members vertically relative to the edges between which they are interposed. I

5. In a separating mechanism, side members; a plurality of plates arranged in stepped relation, the forward. edge of each plate being higher than and disposed above the rearward edge of the next plate in series; means to oscillate the structure; and a.

bers and having their adjacent edges spaced apart, flexible members interposed between the spaced edges of the plates and adapted to be adjusted longitudinally of themselves,

and means to reciprocate the structure.

8. In a separating mechanism, side members, plates extending between the side members and having their adjacent edges spaced apart, flexible members extending longitudinally of and interposed between the edges of the plates, and means to permit the longitudinal adjustment of said flexible members.

9. In a separating mechanism, side members, plates interposed between the members and having one edge of each plate overlapping and spaced from the adjacent edge of the next plate in series, flexible members extending longitudinally of and disposed between the edges of the plates, means for permitting longitudinal adjustment of said flexible members, and means to adjust the flexible members vertically relative to the edges of the plates.

In testlmony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FRED H. MASON. I JAMES ALLEN. Witnesses:

' HARRY B. COLE, 'CHARLns N. ROBINSON.

,Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the- Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 11.10.. i 

